Fire extinguisher



July 1, 1930. P. G. MacGREGoR 1,768,700

FRE1 EXTINGUISHER Filed July 1s, 192s z sheets-sheet 1 Svwenoz HW? 2 M 2 m mlmnll wn w, Wwf/f um.

July l, 1930. P. G. MacGREGoR 1,768,700

FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed July 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 50 l 2/ 4f/45 Ja -ff/ f4 5 Patented July 1, 1930'y UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE PETER GRAHAM MAOGBEGOR, OF PEQUANOCK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 PYRENE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OIFv NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION 0l' DELAWARE.

Application filed July 18,

My present invention relates to fire extinguishers-of the pressure type and it has for its object to provide a device of this character wherein a highly compressible gas may be supplied in a iuid, or semi-liquid, state in a separate cartridge from which it may be released to expel the fire extinguishing liquid when required. To this end the invention also comprehends an improved arrangement oi parts for holding the gas cartridge within .the extinguisher and maintaining the outlet of the latter normally closed together with the necessary operating devices for quickly releasing the contents of the cartridge andA permittlng the escape of the extinguishing fluid under the effect of the pressure thus created.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fire extinguisher which is strong, durable, light in weight and reliable in operation, thus rendering it particularl adapted for use in connection with airp anes and other similar crafts.`

To these and other ends the invention Consists in further improvements and arrangements of parts all of which will be more f ully described inthe following specification and distinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure '1 is a view in elevation of an extinguisher embodying my invention showing the device in operating position 'Figure 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the extinguisher showing the device in inverted or loading position; Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing in detail the cartridgesupporting and puncturing means; Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken 0n the line 1X-4X of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5*-5" of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the cartridge and outlet seal in punctured condition after use.

The fire extinguisher illustrated as a commerci al embodiment of my invention includes a shell 10 which serves as the liquid container and to one endof which is connected, as by brazing or soldering, a head 11 provided with a filling opening through which the conrmn nx'rmeursnna i 1925. serial No. 293,939.

tainer may be filled with lire extinguishing liquid and through which a sealed cartridge 12 carrying a compressed gas, such as carbon dioxide, may be inserted into the container and there held ready for use in operating the extinguisher in the manner hereinafter more particularly described.

The closure for the filling opening of the receptacle 10 includes an internally screwthreaded bushing 13, connected at its upper end, by brazing or soldering, to the head 11. Also, the closure includes an externally screwthreaded plug 14, the head portion of which is provided with diametrically opposed arms 15 which serve as handles for screwing the plug tightly into the bushing 13. The head portion of the plug 14 is formed with a screwthreaded socket, carryin therein pressure-applying head 17 from w ich extends a shaft 18 to the upper end of which is connected a hand wheel 19, the shaft being surrounded by a split bushing nut 20 adapted to limit the outward movement of the head 17 within its socket when the hand wheel 19 is rotated in one direction.

For fracturing a normally closed seal, hereinafter more particularly described, which retains the fire extinguishing liquid within the receptacle 10 until the device is operated, a suitable seal fracturing member is provided which is adapted to be actuated by the pressure-applying head 17 upon rotation of the hand wheel 19 and which is also independently operable. This seal-fracturing device is shown as a striking plunger 21 slidable through the head 17, the shaft 18 and the hand wheel 19, and -provided'at its outer end, which extends normally an appreciable distance beyond the hand wheel 19, with an impact head 22 to receive a blow by which the striking plunger may be moved longitudinally so that its tapered end 23, which is normally positioned within an outlet chamber 24 formed in the lower end` of the plug 14, may be forced througha suitable seal 26 which serves to normally retain the fire extinguishing liquid within the receptacle 10. For limiting the striking plunger 21 in its movement into operating position, its stem is provided with a disk-like abutment 27 which is located adjacent one end of the pressure-applying head 17 and is adapted to engage the bottom of the socket in which that head operates. This disklike abutment also prevents the striking plunger 21 from being withdrawn from its operating lposition by reason of the presence of the head 17 between which and the bottom of its socket the abutment is confined. In order to preventthe escape of liquid around the striking plunger 21 upon fracturing the seal 26, a suitable packing 28 is provided, such packing being located around the lower end of the stem of the striking plunger and confined within a stufiing-box 29 formed in the plug 14 adjacent the outlet chamber 24 and held under compression by a gland nut 30 through which the lower end of theV striking plunger projects.

Depending from the screwthreaded bushing 13 is a cage-like support 30, the several arms of which are suitably spaced from each other to receive therebetween the cartridge 12 with its restricted neck portion resting'.` upon the pointed end of a puncturing-pin 31',v

carried by the support at the juncture of the several arms thereof. This puncturingpin is screwthreaded to the support and is longitudinally adjustable in order that a proper spacing of its pointedend from the seal 26 may be effected at` the time of assemblying to enable the cart-ridge 12 to be held, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, without permitting any undue longitudinaly displacement of the cartridge during the handling of the fire extinguisher which may tend to cause accidental puncturing of the cartridge. When the proper adjustment of the pin 31 is once made, it may be secured in position by a locknut 33 carried at the lower end thereof and engageable with the cartridge support at the juncture of the several arms thereof.

In order that an effective liquid tight closure may be maintained between the receptacle 10 and the out-let chamber 24 may be insured when the seal 26 is introduced in preparing the extinguisher for use, the bushing 13 is provided at its lower end with a seal seat in the form of an annular flange 34 which is of appreciable length and is spaced a slight distance from the wall of the bushing, the flange being formed with a featheredge so that when the plug 14 is forced down such edge is caused to slightly penetrate the surface of the seal. The eficiency of the seal thus produced is further augmented by providing the lower marginal face of the plug 14 with a depending annular flange 35, which, when the plug 14 is screwed down into engagement with the seal 26, engages the inner wall of the flange 35 bein such with respect to the outer diameter an inclination of the flange 34 that the downwardly turned peripheral margin of the seal 26 is effectively Aclamped in' place between the flanges 34 and 35 and in intimate engagement therewith.

At the outlet end of the receptacle 10 a discharge nozzle 37 is provided which is suitably connected to the bottom Wall of the receptacle to form a liquid tight union there.- with. This nozzle is connected by a discharge pipe 38 to a receiving chamber 39 formed in an voflset or extension 40 carried by the bushing 13, the chamber 39 being in communication with the discharge chamber 24 by way of a plurality of ports 41 leading radially from the discharge chamber into the annular space 42 formed intermediate the plug 41 and bushing and communicating with the receiving chamber.

To o erate the extinguisher, it is held with its discharge nozzle 37 pointing generally upwardly, as shown in Figure 1, whereupon ,the striking plunger 21 is subjected to a blow, thereby causing it to move longitudinally within the head 17, shaft 18 and hand wheel 19. Upon such movement of the striking plunger, its beveled end is forced through the seal 26 thereby causing the cartridge 12 to move longitudinally within its support 30 with the result that the puncturing pin 31 is forced through the end of the carriage. When the cartridge is punctured, its contents are released, thereby setting up a pressure within the receptacle 10 which is utilized to force the liquid therefrom through the punctured seal into the outlet chamber 35 from which it passes to the receiving chamber 39 and out through the discharge tube 38 and nozzle 37 to be directed upon the fire. In the event conditions are such, when it is desired to operate the extinguisher, as to make impossible the delivering of a blow to the striking plunger 21, operation of the extinguisher may be effected by operating the hand-wheel 19 whereupon the pressure-applying head 17 engages the abutment and forces the plunger through the seal 26 and causes the cartridge 12 to be punctured by the puncturing-pin 31, whereupon the contents of the receptacle 10 are discharged as described.

While only one form of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I c aim is:

1. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having an outlet, a seal normally closing said outlet, a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, a seal-fracturing device for opening said outlet, and cartridge-puncturing means cooperating with said seal-fracturing device and rendered effective by reason of .such cooperation to release the contents of said cartridge upon operation'of said seal'- fracturing device.

2. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having an outlet, a seal normally closing said outlet, a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, pressure-applying means, a `sealfracturing device adapted to be operated either by or independently of said pressureapplying means, and cartridge-puncturing means cooperating with said seal-fracturing device and rendered effective by reason of such cooperation to release the contents of saidv cartridge upon operation of said sealfracturing device.

3. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having an outlet, a seal normally closing said outlet, a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, a seal-fracturing device for opening said outlet, and a support forisaid eartridge including cartridge-puncturing means cooperating` with said seal-fracturing device and rendered effective by reason of such cooperation to release the contents of said cartridge upon operation of said seal-fracturing device.

4. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having a filling opening, a closure for said opening having an outlet, a seal normally closing said outlet, a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, pressure applying means carried by said closure, a seal-fracturing device slidable in said closure and adapted to be operated either by or independently of said pressure-applying means, and cartridgepuncturing means cooperating with said sealfracturing device and rendered effective to release the contents of said cartridge upon opera-tion of said seal-fracturing device.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having a filling opening, a closure for said opening having an outlet, a seal normally closing said outlet, a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, pressure applying means carried by said closure, a seal-fracturing device slidable in said closure and adapted to be operated either by or independently of said pressure-applying means, and a support for said cartridge including cartridge-puncturing means cooperating with said seal-fracturing device and rendered effective to release the contents of said cartridge upon opera-l ti o r of said seal-fracturing device.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having a filling opening, aclosure for said opening having an outlet and a seal seat and including a bushing and a plug therefor, a seal normally closing said outlet and confined between said seat and plug, a sealfracturingdevice longitudinally 'movable in said plug, cartridge-puncturlng means, and a sealed cartridge contaimng a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, said carfor, a seal normally closing said outlet and confined between said seat and plug, pressureapplying means carried by said plug, a sealfracturing device longitudinally movable in said plug and pressure-applying means and adapted to be actuated bythe latter, cartridgepuncturing means, and a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, said cartridgebeing located intermediate said seal-fracturing device and said cartridge-puncturing means, whereby said cartridge-puncturing means is rendered effective upon operation of said seal-fracturing device to release the contents of said cartridge.

8. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having a filling opening, a closure for said opening having an outlet and a seal seat and including a bushing and a plug there-- for, a seal normally closing said outlet and confined between said seat and plug, pressureapplying means carried by said plug, a sealfracturing device longitudinally movable in said plug and pressure-applying means and adapted to be actuated by the latter, said seal-- fracturing device being also operable 'independent-ly of said pressure-applying means,

cartridge-puncturing means, and a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, said cartridge being located intermediate said seal-fracturing device and said cartridge-puncturing means,

whereby said cartridge-puncturing means is rendered effective upon operation of said sealfracturing device to release the contents of said cartridge.

9. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having a filling opening, a closure for said opening having an outlet, and a seal seat and including a bush ing and a plug therefor, a seal normally closing said outlet and confined between said seat and plug, a cartridge support carried by said bushing, a sealfracturing device longitudinally movable in said plug, cartridge-puncturing means carried by said support, and a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, said cartridge being located intermediate said seal-fracturing device and said cartridge-puncturing means, whereby said cartridge-puncturing means is rendered effective upon operation of said seal-fractur- 4 meer/oo ing device to release the contents of said cartridge.

10. A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receptacle having a filling opening, a closure for said opening having a seal scat and including a bushing and a plug therein, the latter being provided with an outlet chamber, a discharge tube communicating with said chamber and leading out of said rece tacle, a seal overlying said chamber and con ned between said seat and plug, a seal-fracturing device longitudinally movable in said plug, cartridge-puncturing means, and a sealed cartridge containing a compressed gas to be released in said receptacle, said cartridge being located intermediate said seal-racturing device and said cartridge-puncturing means, whereby said cartridge-puncturing means is rendered effective upon operation of said sealfracturing device to release the contents of said cartridge.

In testimony whereof I have aiixed my signature to this s ecification.

PETER GR AM MAGGREGOR. 

